


A New Challenge

by deekee



Category: Skyfall (2012) - Fandom, The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Magic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Slow Build, Tags Are Hard, Warnings May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-19
Updated: 2014-09-19
Packaged: 2018-02-18 00:36:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2328800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deekee/pseuds/deekee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>**You do not need to have read The Night Circus to read this work**</p>
<p>Boredom strikes and a new challenge is decided upon. Hector finds his student right away in the form of a lonely boy in a dark attic, and begins to set the stage as Alexander takes his time in finding the right one. This challenge will be new and modern, they decide, with new students prepared to use their skills in odd and innovative ways. Both are willing to do anything to win the game they've spent most of their lives training for. No matter who gets in the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Challenge

The pub was full of eager chatter about the strange setup in the field behind the butchers. Everybody was talking about the seemingly endless striped black and white tents, and the elaborate fence surrounding them. Not to mention the odd sign, saying that it only opened at sunset. Someone mentioned having heard something about a mysterious travelling circus that only operated at night-time, and was soon the focus of attention as everyone began interrogating him. Stories of magicians, and acrobats, and attractions the likes of which no one had ever seen circulated the pub for the rest of the afternoon, as none could bear to go home and risk forgetting the circus come sunset.

 

In amongst the gossip, the man in the grey suit went unnoticed as he sat alone in the corner with a single glass. It also went unnoticed when he eventually struck up a conversation with no one but simple air. 

 

“I am absolutely bored, Alexander.” came the voice of the man once known as Prospero the Enchanter.

 

“You have none to blame but yourself, Hector.” replied the man in the grey suit.

 

“Yes, yes,” Hector Bowen continued irritably, “but I wondered if you were bored too?”

 

The man in the grey suit turned towards what an onlooker would describe as a faint shimmer in the air were they to take any notice of that particular corner of the room. “After how last time ended?” he raised an eyebrow. “Was that not to be the final challenge?”

 

“Why should it?” Hector retorted. “It could only be called a mere tie, _at best_ , and I do despise ties. When there is no clear winner or loser, how can one tell which method is better?” He shook his head, “No, the last game cannot be counted. Therefore, I propose another: a fresh start.”

 

“I take it, then, that you’ve already chosen a player?”

 

“I’ll admit that I’ve been considering some, and have quite successfully narrowed it down to a couple of possibilities.”

 

The man in the grey suit paused for a moment, pensive. “I would need some time to chose a student of my own. What were you thinking of as parameters?”

 

“Well, I quite enjoyed the challenge of it being in a public setting, what do you think?” Hector asked thoughtfully.

 

“If we must, but perhaps without quite so much travel this time, I should think. Also, perhaps a less… elaborate venue. I would prefer for this challenge to be more discreet.”

 

“Fair enough.” Hector conceded. “It would make it all more difficult, I suppose.” A head of grey hair might have been seen to nod. “I also see no need for any sort of time frame, which would give you more time to select your player, if you wish.”

The man in the grey suit bowed his head slightly, “Thank you.” 

 

He stood up and lightly brushed his trousers before turning to the air beside him. “I shall call upon you once you’ve chosen your student. Goodbye, Hector.”

 

“Until next time, Alexander.”

 

The air stilled at the table, and it was as if the table had never been occupied.

 

The chatter in the pub came to a close as the sun began to set outside. Its occupants drifted towards the field behind the butchers, joining the rest of the village, and those from other towns who’d heard of the occasion. As the sky darkened, all were awed as tiny lights popped to life to eventually read:

 

_Le Cirque des Rêves_

_* * *_

The young boy watched in wonder as the miscellaneous objects scattered around the attic span and danced before his very eyes. A moth-eaten uniform waltzed with a mannequin, as specks of dust gathered together to become pigeons that scattered into the darkness, cooing their displeasure at the sudden change. A box opened to allow a series of mouldy toy soldiers to march across the floor boards, as books swam through the air above them.

 

“What do you think, boy?” came the disembodied voice from the shadows behind him.

 

“It’s wonderful,” he breathed, staring at the magical display.  One of the pigeons flew down in front of him and burst into specks of glitter, before returning to dust once more. He laughed out loud in delight.

 

“How would you like to learn to do the same?”

 

He spun around to stare into the darkness, “Really? I could do that to?”

 

“Of course. Any idiot can learn to do so with training. It simply takes a talented student, and a decent teaching method to learn a skill.”

 

“But, why me?” he frowned. “I’m no one…”

 

“You have potential to be brilliant. I can sense that in you clearly.” The voice huffed, “Now, are you going to come with me or not?”

 

“But, my parents…”

 

“Enough with the _but_ s, boy. Now, as for your first lesson: Memories are easily dealt with.”

 

And so the boy left the attic for the first time in days with his newfound teacher, for places unknown, and with a deep hunger to learn.

 

He turned to the teacher moving beside him (“What shall I call you?” “ _Sir_ will do nicely.” “But what is your name?” “Names are thrown around, I find, but I once went by Hector Bowen, and another time Prospero the Enchanter.” “Which do you prefer?” “Sir. And stop asking stupid questions.”). If he squinted, and the light was shining at just the right angle, he could make out the form of a man.

 

“You never asked my name.”

 

“No, I didn’t.”

 

The boy quirked his head, “Don’t you want to know it?”

 

“I don’t particularly care, boy,” his teacher shot back, sounding rather irritated.

 

The boy smiled at his new guardian, his saviour.

 

“It’s Tiago. Tiago Rodriguez.”

**Author's Note:**

> **You do not need to have read The Night Circus to read this work**
> 
> I love the book, and I can't get the idea of a Skyfall crossover. In fact I've spent all summer agonising over it (God knows the looks I got while taking notes from the book on the plane!!)! Eventual 00Q to be sure, as I love them, but it will be a slow build, and I'm more interested in the relationship of the challengers.
> 
> I hope to update once a week, but this is hopefully going to be a long one (I hope to make the chapters longer too), and my work schedule is due to increase over the coming weeks. I promise to get around to this as often as I can though!


End file.
